Annual ‘Trunk or Treat’ just keeps getting bigger every year

 Notwithstanding the periodic rainfall, it was Halloween as usual for over a thousand trick or treaters who flocked to the American Memorial Park yesterday for the 5th Annual Trunk or Treat event.

Excited children garbed in creative costumes were accompanied by equally enthusiastic parents as they hopped from one booth to another for various Halloween treats and giveaways.

Halloween-goers were also treated to free screening of two Halloween movies, Haunted Mansion and the original Dracula. Also, the Saipan Southern High School Manta Ray Band provided live music while the school’s JROTC unit volunteered to help the traffic flow in the area.

Rhonda Camacho of As Gonno village said this is their third year as a family to attend the annual event. Her daughter Victoria Jade, 7, came as a flower fairy while Phoenix Sapphire, 2, was dressed up as a bumble bee.

“It’s a great event. It’s become a tradition where you can bring your closely knit family and get different kinds of treats, especially for the children to celebrate Halloween,” she said.

Helen Lin, who is on island for a vacation, said she brought her 3-year-old daughter Erica Ghang to the event so she could learn about the Halloween culture since they do not observe the holiday in China. “My daughter got a lot of candies and she loves it,” said Lin.

Fourteen-year-old Leitina Norita of Dandan village said this was the first Halloween for her brother, 1-year old brother Josiah Lisua, who came as an elephant.

“It’s all about the candies. This event has the most candies to be given away so my brother will enjoy it,” said Norita.

Her cousin Jenelle Teregeyo said this is the second year they’ve been to the event. “Rain or shine, we’ll be here,” she added.

Puspa Arriola drove all the way from Kagman with her husband Greg and 9-month-old daughter Faith, who came as an angel.

“I used to come here with my friends and their children but this is my first time to come here with my own daughter so I’m excited,” she told Saipan Tribune. “She’s not crying so I think she’s enjoying as well.”

Some 35 individuals and organizations took part this year, setting up booths and trunks following this year’s theme, “Recyghoul Material,” said park ranger Susan Fishman-Tudor.

Participants included the Department of Public Health, Dickerson & Quinn, CNMI PSS Head Start Program, Transportation Security Administration, P&A, and Foremost, among others.

“Even with the rain, it’s still comfortable and the crowd keeps on coming and keeps moving along. It’s a nice and safe place for people to come and celebrate Halloween and I think the community appreciates it,” Fishman-Tudor told Saipan Tribune.

While some participants ran out of treats as early as the first hour of the event, Fishman-Tudor said that most of them “brought more than they’re supposed to,” given their experience in previous years.

TSA supervisor Carleen Desebel said they have been participating in the annual event so they came prepared with over 1,000 goodie bags containing school supplies and chocolates plus some other spare candies, all donated by TSA personnel.

“We want to get out of our TSA persona and show that we’re a part of the community. It’s very gratifying and it really makes us happy knowing that the kids are having fun,” she said.

Their trunk entry-two TSA officers posing as a trash bag witch and newspaper witch-took them over two weeks to prepare, Desebel said.

D&Q sales manager Marilyn Marron said they brought 10 cases of Capri juice drinks and 10 cases of snacks, which included Chips Ahoy, Rice Krispies, and Special K bars.

“Kids always look forward to Halloween. They need something to look forward to and be grateful for and D&Q is happy to be here,” she said.

Ana Ada said the CNMI PSS Head Start Program has been a participant of the event since its inception five years ago.

“It’s part of our annual recruitment efforts in the community targeting children between 3 to 5 years old. Also, it’s our way of giving back to the community,” she said.

According to Ada, their booth promotes healthy Halloween treats by giving away oranges instead of candies and other sweets. Their pumpkin patch trunk was made of recycled materials such as sakati (grass), shredded paper, and boxes.

The best decorated trunk award went to a first-time participant, P&A Corp., after deliberation by the judges: Fishman-Tudor, park ranger Bryan Piercy, and visiting ranger Daniel Brown.

P&A Corp. manager Walter Yu, who sported fake blood and had fake knife as props, described their win as “amazing.”

“We wanted to do something meaningful in these hard times. This is a day for the kids. When the kids are happy, the parents are happy,” he said.

Yu said their haunted house-inspired trunk was made of cut or fallen tree branches, which they collect as part of an agreement they have with the Mayor’s Office.

Fishman-Tudor said the group won dinner gift certificates for four at a local restaurant.

Yu disclosed that they brought about $900 worth of candies, chocolates, jelly, and Spongebob toys. He said they look forward to participating again next year and encouraged other businesses, organizations, and individuals to take part in the Trunk or Treat organized by the American Memorial Park.